Conversion attachment for a conventional nonwindow envelope machine

ABSTRACT

An attachment for converting a conventional nonwindow envelope machine into one in which a web of patching material is partially severed for providing either a window transparency or a liner for an envelope forming individual patches, said patches being gummed for attachment to the interior of an envelope blank and the partially severed web fed to the circumference or filler plate of a rotating vacuum cylinder where the individual gummed patches are completely severed and each carried into contact with and affixed to an envelope blank, the cylinder having multiple scoring blades for providing the envelope blanks with score lines for subsequent folding of its flaps to complete the envelope.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Ernst C. Sauerman Chicago, Ill. 21] Appl. No. 7,521 [22] Filed Jan. 30, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 28, 1971 [73] Assignee I Gaw-Olhra Envelope Co.

Chicago, Ill.

[54] CONVERSION ATTACHMENT FOR A CONVENTIONAL NONWINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 93/61 A, 93/1 G, 93/35 MW,.93/36 MM, 93/58.2 R [51] lot. Cl. B3lb 1/62, 1331b 1/82, B3lb 39/74 [50] Field of Search 93/1 G, 35 MW, 61, 62, 63, 58.4, 58.1, 58.2, 36 MM [56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,429,237 2/1969 Subklew 93/61 A -u -HIH Primary Examiner-Wayne A. Morse, Jr. Attorney-Wilson & Geppert ABSTRACT: An attachment for converting a conventional nonwindow envelope machine into one in which a web of patching material is partially severed for providing either a window transparency or a liner for an envelope forming individual patches, said patches being gummed for attachment to the interior of an envelope blank and the partially severed web fed to the circumference or filler plate of a rotating vacuum cylinder where the individual gummed patches are completely severed and each carried into contact with and affixed to an envelope blank, the cylinder having multiple scoring blades for providing the envelope blanks with score lines for subsequent folding of its flaps to complete the envelope.

PATENTEU D5828 l97| SHEET 2 [IF 2 CONVERSION ATTACHMENT FOR A CONVENTIONAL NONWINDOW ENVELOPE MACHINE The present invention provides an improvement over that in my pending patent application Ser. No. 792,443, filed Jan. 21, I969, now US. Pat. No. 3,572,222 relating to an attachment for converting a conventional nonwindow envelope machine into one in which a web of patching material is fed from a continuous roll, partially severed for providing individual patches, gummed and then each successive gummed patch is severed and applied to an envelope blank either as a window transparency to a window envelope or as a liner to a nonwindow envelope.

In the assembly of my pending application, a rotating vacuum cylinder intercepts and carries the partially severed web from which the individual patches are severed, each patch being then deposited upon the inner surface of an envelope blank and the blank scored to provide a single or upper score line. The envelope blank with its patch affixed is then fed to a scoring roller having a bottom and side-scoring rollers and then to conventional folding mechanism.

In this prior invention with the rotating vacuum cylinder having a single scorer blade, it is found that the envelope blanks have a tendency to creep whereas in the present invention the envelope blanks are multiple scored and during scoring maintained in accurate alignment and held against creeping. This is an important and decided advantage especially when considering the speed at which these envelope blanks are fed successively through the envelope machines and the necessity for travel in uniform, accurate alignment.

In the present invention, the web of partially severed and gummed patches is fed to a rotating vacuum cylinder where the individual patches are severed and carried on the circumference of the vacuum cylinder having multiple scoring blades for scoring the individual envelope blanks to provide multiple fold lines as these blanks are conveyed beneath this cylinder. This rotating vacuum cylinder is provided with a bottomand top-scoring blade spaced apart to provide bottom and top score lines, and if the envelope blanks are to be provided with side score lines, the cylinder is also provided with side-scoring blades.

Providing the multiple scoring blades on the rotating vacuum cylinder assures accurate placement and alignment of the envelope blanks as they are fed beneath the vacuum cylinder and thereby eliminating any creeping of these blanks in their forward path of travel to the folding mechanism for folding the overlapping flaps.

The present construction and arrangement of the rotating vacuum cylinder incorporating all the scoring blades, eliminates other scoring means and provides for a simplified assembly with one or more of the scoring blades adjustably mounted for accurate placement and spacing of the scoring blades.

In the preferred assembly the bottom-scoring blade and the side-scoring blades are adjustably mounted on the vacuum cylinder.

Further objects are to provide an attachment of maximum efficiency, economy and ease of operation and assembly, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in vertical cross section of the novel attachment mounted on a conventional nonwindow envelope machine.

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation of the vacuum cylinder of the present invention and disclosing the bottomand top-scoring blades.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section taken longitudinally through the vacuum cylinder on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and showing the spaced side-scoring blades.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the interior of a window envelope blank with a gummed transparent patch applied thereto to form a window.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the web of patching material showing it partially severed but before it is completely severed into individual patches.

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram for operation of the attachment of the present invention.

Referring to the disclosure in the drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, preformed envelope blanks 10 with or without a window opening 11, are successively fed by suitable conveying means along the paper line 12 to beneath a vacuum cylinder 13 where a gummed patch 14 is deposited upon each envelope blank, said cylinder carrying multiple scoring blades for providing all the requisite score lines to each blank as it passes beneath the cylinder.

A web 15 of transparent patching material for window envelopes or a lining material to be applied to the interior of nonwindow envelopes, is fed from an upper roll 16 over an idler or floating roller 17 and then downwardly over a draw roller 18, then over a hardened metal anvil or roller 19 and between the latter and a cutting roller 21 having longitudinally extending blades 22 which slit and partially sever at 23 the web transversely to provide successive partially connected patches 14 of the web 15, the gum being supplied to a gumming roller and pad 20 from a gum box 24 through an abutting metering roller 25. The web of gummed connected patches then passes over a segment retard roller 26 which is recessed at 26 to avoid contact with the wet gummed edges, and between it and a driven contact roller 27 and then onto the arcuate filler plate 28 affixed to the circumference of the vacuum cylinder 13.

The slit and partially severed web 15 of patching material to form either window transparencies for window envelopes or inner liners for nonwindow envelopes, is fed to and carried by the vacuum cylinder 13 as it rotates and delivers and applies each gummed patch 14 to an envelope blank 10. To completely separate and detach the successive patches from the web, a shaft 29 carries spaced fingers (one being shown) 31 each provided with a rubber tip 32 engaging the successive partially slit patches for completely severing and withdrawing each detached or separated gummed patch and carrying it around on the filler plate on the circumference of the vacuum cylinder until brought into a alignment and contact with the inner surfaces ofthe envelope blank 10.

Each precut envelope blank 10 is fed along the paper line 12 by conventional conveying means or chains 32 to a position below the vacuum cylinder 13 where a detached individual patch 14 is aligned and deposited upon the inner surface of an envelope blank 10, which may be a window envelope in which the window opening is covered by a transparent patch. Or, if the affixed patch is to provide a liner for a nonwindow envelope, the patches are cut to the desired dimensions and each detached patch suitably aligned, deposited and affixed to the inner surface ofits envelope blank.

The vacuum cylinder 13 and accurate filler plate 28 is provided with spaced suction holes 33 in its circumference for retaining by suction and carrying thereon the web 15 of patching material and then the separated individual gummed patches 14 a nd each deposited onto an envelope blank 10. On the vacuum cylinder are spaced scoring blades including a top-scoring blade 34 to provide a top score line 35, a bottomscoring blade 36 to provide a bottom score line 37, and preferably side-scoring blades 38 and 39 for providing side score lines 41 and 42 on envelope blanks provided with side score lines. These score blades are of a length conforming to the length of score lines desired and spaced apart depending upon the envelope dimensions with the bottom score blade 36 and the side score blades 38 and 39 adjustably and removably mounted in the vacuum cylinder 13 by an arcuate filler plate 28 affixed to the cylinder 13. Filler plates of different dimensions are provided to accommodate the spacing and dimensions of the score blades for varying-size envelopes.

Providing the spaced score blades on the vacuum cylinder 13, simplifies the scoring for folding of the envelope blanks, retains alignment of the successive blanks fed to the vacuum cylinder, and prevents the blanks from creeping as they have tendency to do where the cylinder has but a single score blade and additional score blades are provided on one or more additional rolls. All scoring is done'by the vacuum cylinder 13 after which the scored blanks with the gummed patch applied thereto are fed to conventional plow shares or folding blades for folding the side flaps 44 and 45 inwardly and means for folding the bottom flap 46 into the side flaps, these latter flaps having been gummed in a conventional manner.

The patching unit assembly is mounted upon spaced vertical supports 47 pivoted about a drive shaft 48 journaled in these supports and driving meshing gears 49, 51 and 52, the latter driving the shaft 29 having 'a square portion upon which is carried the snap-out fingers 31 each with a rubber tip 32 engaging a gummed patch 14 of the web 15 and pulling apart the individual gummed patches 14 which are then individually carried along the filler plate 28 of the vacuum cylinder 13 and deposited upon an envelope blank 10.

The idler or floating roller 17 and the contact roller 27 are journaled in depending spaced mounting brackets 53 and 54, respectively, the free lower end of each of these brackets being spring loaded by a tension spring 55, one spring anchored at one end to adjacent the lower end of the brackets 53 and 54 and at the other end each spring is anchored to one of the spaced vertical supports 58, whereby the draw roller 18 is held against the web being fed over the anvil roller 19, and the contact roller 27 is tensionally held in contact with the slit web 15 of the connected gummed patches 14 being fed over the retard roller 26.

Except for the shafts of the roller carrying the patching web l and the idler roller 17, the shafts of the other rollers are geared and driven from a suitable power source for continuously driving the shaft 48 when envelope blanks are being fed to the vacuum cylinder 13. When feeding of the envelope blanks stops, means is provided for stopping rotation to all the rollers except for the shaft 29 carrying the spaced fingers 3l engaging and separating the individual patches which continues to rotate.

To limit the continuity of the slits 23 the underlying metal anvil or roller 19 is suitably recessed whereby the cutting blades 22 on the cutting roller 21 do not completely sever each patch 14 when the blades engage and cut the web of patching material over these recesses, and the patches remain affixed until each is fed to and separated on the filler plate 28 on the circumference of the vacuum cylinder 13 by the engaged fingers 31 and pulled away and completely severed from its adjoining patch but retained by suction on the tiller plate and rotating vacuum cylinder until deposited upon and affixed to its envelope blank moved into registry therewith.

So as to prevent feeding of the gummed patches in the event no envelope blank 10 is being fed to the vacuum cylinder, the patcher drive is controlled by a feeler switch 59 provided on the paper line 12 working in a relay system with an outboard switch to stop feeding of the web of patching material 15. No patching material is fed until an envelope blank 10 enters and trips the feeler switch 59 whereupon a signal occurs between the feeler switch and an outboard switch energizing a third switch and a clutch on the anvil roller 19 effecting clutching engagement and causing the anvil roller and the associated driven rollers to rotate in the manner disclosed in my copending application Ser. No 792,443, filed Jan. 2 l, 1969. now US. Pat. No. 3,572,222.

A pulltype solenoid 62 has a connecting link 63 attached to the shaft of the anvil roller 19 having a single revolution clutch for clutching and declutching the anvil roller 19 from its power source through the drive shaft 48 upon actuation of the solenoid 62. This solenoid is energized by a switch on a relay 64 of a relay system including a second relay 65. These relays are connected through normally open, cam-actuated microswitches 66 and 67. The drive shaft 48 has adjacent its one end two cams 68 and 69 for actuating the microswitches 66 and 67, the switch 66 being actuated by the cam 68 and the switch 67 being actuated by the cam 69, these microswitches being controlled by the feeler switch 59 and the microswitch 67 completing the circuit upon reengagement of the clutch to reestablish feedin of the atching material 15.

The envelope b anks l are fed to the patching umt or attachment generally with their top or closure flap 7] and the side flaps 44 and 45 gummed prior to being fed and advanced to the vacuum cylinder 13, although these flaps may have the gumor adhesive subsequently applied. The envelope blanks are shown advanced to the vacuum cylinder by gear-driven segment rolls 72 and 73 connected by an intermediate gear 74 whereby both rolls are rotated in the same counterclockwise direction for advancing the successive envelope blanks to the vacuum cylinder l3.'

The scored envelope blanks 10 with the attached patches are subsequently fed by friction rollers 75 and 76 and then folded by conventional folding means with the side flaps 44 and 45 folded inwardly and down by means of suitable folding members of plowshares and then the bottom flap 46 is folded upwardly and onto the side flaps in the manner shown in my U.S Pat. No 2,643,594 ofJune 30, 1953.

Having thus disclosed my invention, 1 Claim:

1. A patching attachment for converting a conventional nonwindow envelope machine into one in which a window transparency patch is applied to a window envelope blank or a liner patch to a nonwindow envelope blank, said attachment including means for feeding successive envelope blanks to said attachment, a roll of patching material from which a web of said material is fed, means for partially severing the web into connected patches for subsequent separation into individual patches with each patch to be applied to an envelope blank means for gumming the edges of the connected patches of the web, and means for feeding, separating and affixing each individual gummed patch from the web onto the inner surface of an envelope blank fed through said attachment including a rotating vacuum cylinder upon which the web of partially severed patches is fed, means engaging and separating successive individual patches from the web, and multiple spaced scoring blades on said cylinder for scoring successive envelope blanks fed to the cylinder when applying the patches, the scoring blades including a topand a bottom-scoring blade mounted on and extending in spaced relation and longitudinally of said cylinder, and spaced side-scoring blades mounted on said cylinder and extending transversely of said cylinder, said bottomand side-scoring blades are each detachably and adjustably mounted on said cylinder by a filler plate affixed to the vacuum cylinder the filler plate and cylinder having aligned suction openings for retaining thereon the web and individual patches as the cylinder is rotated. 

1. A patching attachment for converting a conventional nonwindow envelope machine into one in which a window transparency patch is applied to a window envelope blank or a liner patch to a nonwindow envelope blank, said attachment including means for feeding successive envelope blanks to said attachment, a roll of patching material from which a web of said material is fed, means for partially severing the web into connected patches for subsequent separation into individual patches with each patch to be applied to an envelope blank, means for gumming the edges of the connected patches of the web, and means for feeding, separating and affixing each individual gummed patch from the web onto the inner surface of an envelope blank fed through said attachment including a rotating vacuum cylinder upon which the web of partially severed patches is fed, means engaging and separating successive individual patches from the web, and multiple spaced scoring blades on said cylinder for scoring successive envelope blanks Fed to the cylinder when applying the patches, the scoring blades including a top- and a bottom-scoring blade mounted on and extending in spaced relation and longitudinally of said cylinder, and spaced side-scoring blades mounted on said cylinder and extending transversely of said cylinder, said bottom- and side-scoring blades are each detachably and adjustably mounted on said cylinder by a filler plate affixed to the vacuum cylinder, the filler plate and cylinder having aligned suction openings for retaining thereon the web and individual patches as the cylinder is rotated. 